If there’s one thing everyone should have in their shoe rotation, it’s a loafer. The shoe is so versatile, you can wear it with sweats and you can wear it with a suit, it honestly pairs well with anything you’ve got on. And it’s an investment that will never go out of style. You might regret those sneakers you got a few seasons back, but your loafers? They’re here for life.
And no one does loafers like John Lobb. The British shoemaker celebrates the 75th anniversary of its cult Lopez silhouette this year: the ultimate loafer. Conceived in the ‘50s, the Lopez was inspired by the original penny loafer, and it’s got some lore.
The man behind the shoe was Baron Arturo López Willshaw, a Chilean aristocrat from an industrial heritage. He moved to France in the 20th century and became somewhat of a celebrity in the Parisian scene of the time. He’d hung out with the likes of artist Salvador Dalí, opera legend Maria Callas and renowned designer George Geffroy. And he was a fashion guy through and through, his style was elite.
In 1950, he wanted to elevate his fits and envisioned a loafer that was elegant but more on the casual side. He looked at the classic penny loafer for inspo and the American sporty prep styles that were coming up at the time, and he linked up with John Lobb. The rest was history.
The shoe has remained basically the same for all these decades – from the original sketch by Baron Lopez to the shoe we wear today, the Lopez is a timeless classic that has transcended generations.
And, of course, the comfort and versatility of the shoe always comes down to its excellent craftsmanship. To this day, every pair is handcrafted by artisans in John Lobb’s Northampton workshop. Continuing John Lobb’s bespoke heritage (the brand would only create bespoke footwear until 1976), the Lopez follows a bespoke-inspired construction, made from a single piece of leather with a seam on the back – making this a silhouette with excellent support and stability.
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